


Settling Back Into Old Patterns

by Everyoneisheretoday5



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: Ace Kirigiri Kyoko, Angst, Basically Togami cheats and this is what happens, Cheating, F/M, I am very bad at titles i'm sorry, I know that isn't mentioned anywhere but just so y'all know, Kirigiri Kyoko and her sort of unbridled rage, Kirigiri Kyoko is so Done, Lack of Communication, M/M, Multi, Naegi Makoto Is Pure, Polyamory, Togami Byakuya Being An Asshole, Togami Byakuya is Bad at Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-06-12
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:48:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24400876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Everyoneisheretoday5/pseuds/Everyoneisheretoday5
Summary: Byakuya Togami had always been a bit untrustworthy...
Relationships: Kirigiri Kyoko/Naegi Makoto, Kirigiri Kyoko/Naegi Makoto/Togami Byakuya, Kirigiri Kyoko/Togami Byakuya, Naegi Makoto/Togami Byakuya
Comments: 8
Kudos: 86





	1. Chapter 1

Byakuya Togami had hoped that he had improved. 

And he thought he did. Years upon years of slowly peeling away the insults he gave, his brashness, pushing others away, and simply being cold seemed to have an effect on him. He didn’t feel the need to trick and lie (or at least he thought so) like he had to long ago in order to rise to the top of the Togami heritage. 

Best of all, he had two lovely partners that had come from hard work and dedication into changing his character for the better. Once he opened up to them and took down his walls one by one, he grew closer to them, eventually resulting in a relationship of sorts, mutual romantic feelings on all sides. 

Kirigiri had been the one to address it first. 

_ “What are we?”  _

_ The three of them had been sitting in the Future Foundation’s library, pouring over the files of the participants of past killing games. The atmosphere was laden with something unsaid, as Togami casually put his hand on one of Naegi’s shoulders as he leaned over him to inspect the notes taken about a participant named Yuki, and Naegi tended to tear his eyes away from the files for a moment or two to look at Kyouko. Earlier, Togami had passed Kirigiri in the halls, and she uncharastically stopped to look him in the eye for a second or two, then continued on.  _

_ All these little things had been going on for months now, unspoken messages passed through touch or brief moments of shared eye contact, or how they all seemed to end up in the same place automatically, all shifting their schedules to align with the others.  _

_ Naegi was the first to respond to Kirigiri’s strange question, giving her a quizzical look.  _

_ “Friends?..hopefully?...” He had looked up at Togami with those hazel eyes, looking for reassurance. “We’re friends, right? Be honest.”  _

_ Togami’s hand on his shoulder shifted slightly as he nodded solemnly, feeling yet another piece of his carefully-constructed facade break down.  _

_ Kirigiri shook her head slightly. “No… past that. I know there’s something going on. Togami has his hand on your shoulder, I know you tend to casually try to be in our presence as much as you can Naegi. And.. if I’m being honest... “ she trailed off, rubbing her thumb over one of the studs in her gloves. “I’ve grown quite attached to the two of you as well. In a rather… romantic way I suppose. I’m assuming you two feel the same, both towards me and towards each other, but correct me if I’m wrong.”  _

_ Togami let his hand drift off Naegi’s shoulder, the word “romantic” tumbling around in his brain as the smaller boy sputtered at Kirigiri’s sudden confession. She sat across the table from them, legs crossed and hands folded in her lap, the only hint that she was nervous or even slightly embarrassed being the way she stared down at the table, seemingly trying to detect it’s many flaws.  _

_ “K-Kirigiri, I don’t… I mean, I do-” Makoto stammered, thumbing the edge of the case file.  _

**_He’s going to get a papercut,_ ** _ Togami thought, and gently moved Naegi’s hand away, leaving it to rest on the edge of the table. Naegi only got more flustered, and Kirigiri snorted quietly, a hint of a smile on her lips.  _

_ “It’s okay Naegi, take your time,” she assured, and then turned her gaze to Togami, beautiful purple eyes seemingly staring into his soul as always. “Togami… do you have any opinions to say on the matter?”  _

_ “If you will, please give me a moment,” he said, pausing to put his thoughts in order. “I… do suppose I’m attracted to both you and Naegi. I care for you two a lot as well, seeing that you’re not nearly as incompetent as the rest of the human race,” he admitted, blushing for what was probably the first time in his life. He decided not to elaborate more on the matter, saving what few shreds of pride he still had at the moment.  _

_ Naegi put his head in his hands, clearly embarrassed, and Togami thought  _ **_cute_ ** _ and then smothered the thought as he always did, although he did make a note to let the thought pass the next time. Then he looked at Kirigiri, a clear, actual smile now on her face, and was struck by  _ _ something,  _ _ his mind seemingly comparing her grin to a ray of sunshine.  _

_ God, how much time had it been since these thoughts started?... _

_ Naegi finally spoke up, voice muffled by his palms.  _

_ “Yes.”  _

_ “Yes to what?” Kirigiri inquired with a hint of teasing in her voice.  _

_ “Us. Yes. You, Togami. Feelings. Yes.” he replied, now head down on his arms, face completely hidden from sight.  _

_ Kirigiri chuckled. “Don’t worry, I get it.”  _

_ She then gently put a gloved hand on Makoto’s and held the other one out for Togami to take.  _

After that had come so much… they had started dating, laid out the rules of their relationship, (closed, but if someone seriously wanted to date somebody else while still in the group, it was alright as long as they told the others and introduced their new partner to them) and even got an apartment together, 4 years later.  __

They made a good trio, even in domestic life. The three of them split the housework evenly, although Naegi did have to teach Togami how to clean a toilet once because he had grown up with such privilege that he had never learned. 

Kirigiri and Togami switched making dinner every night, leaving Makoto out of the schedule because although he was the Ultimate Lucky Student, and the Ultimate Hope, he had absolutely no hope or luck when it came to cooking. No one could figure out why, and Naegi had set the kitchen on fire accidentally the last time he tried to make eggs, so they assured him it was fine if he was left out of the process. Just in case anything else bad happened. 

Life was filled with sweet words, reassurances, and kind gestures, and at the end of the day (When the work from the Future Foundation didn’t get in the way) they’d all climb into one bed, ending up like some kind of dog pile with Togami as their personal heater besides all the blankets they shared. 

_ God, I love my partners so much.  _

So how had it all come to this?

  
  


It had all started when there was a Christmas party of sorts at the Future Foundation. Togami had been milling around, still scanning the room for Makoto and Kyouko, although Kyouko didn’t like parties, and Makoto had left to pick up Hagakure because his car battery had died, promising that he’d be back. Togami didn’t know what to do with himself. He had counted on Naegi being there, as he was much better than him at social events and was also a comforting presence overall in this loud room filled with people he barely knew. Togami would leave, but Makoto had taken the car and he had no other mode of transportation. He just had to wait here until he came back. 

_ At least I’ll be able to send him a message if anything particularly concerning happens.  _ He fingered his phone in his pocket, and considered waiting in a corner scrolling through Twitter until Naegi came back, instead of blankly staring at a line of unappetizing food. 

Just as he turned and was about to walk away, a hand brushed the back of his arm and he steeled himself not to whip around and admonish the person who had touched him without his consent. 

Instead, he calmly turned back around and found himself face to face with a  _ very  _ attractive woman, dark hair spilling over her shoulders and down her back, blue eyes lidded with curiosity. 

_ Shit.  _

“You’re Byakuya Togami, correct?” 

And it had all gone downhill from there. 

  
  


And as usual, fitting as she was the one who started it all, Kirigiri was the one who addressed it first. 

“Byakuya,” she said, stopping Togami in his tracks just as he was about to put on his coat and go out the door to go buy some groceries. Her voice was sharp, demanding. Togami’s stomach dropped as he realized the implications. She  _ never  _ used that voice around him. Naegi poked his head out from inside the kitchen, face laden with confusion and concern. 

“Yes?...” He said, turning around to face her. She  _ glared  _ into him, her eyes digging holes into his head and searching around like flashlights in the dark, seemingly exploring his guilty,  _ cheating  _ soul. 

_ Please tell me our phone bill is higher than usual because of me, or something like that… oh god....  _

“I hate to use my detective skills on you, but I  _ know  _ there’s something going on.” she growled. Just the words alone made Togami feel like he’d been kicked in the stomach, and he felt his face morphing into the tense scowl he thought he’d left behind all those years ago as a coping mechanism. 

_ Wait, no- don’t do that, she’ll only get more suspicious… but you promised yourself you wouldn’t try to hide anything on purpose! _

_ Well, look at you now! What the hell do you think-  _

“I know you’ve been avoiding us. I see the guilty look on your face every time one of us tries to show affection to you- plus you’ve been out of the house more lately, with seemingly no real reason.” Kirigiri clenched her fists and then shook her head, letting them relax again, and instead opting to tug at the sleeves of her sweatshirt. “ _ What’s going on.”  _

_ There’s no way you’re going to get out of this, asshole.  _

“I-I’m sorry.” Togami finally admitted, turning his head away so he wouldn’t have to see the rage no doubt burning on Kyouko’s face. “I’ve been lying to you guys for 3 months now… I met this woman at that Christmas party-” 

He heard a large gasp come from Naegi, shame overcoming him as Kirigiri finally let loose. 

“WE HAD AN AGREEMENT!” she yelled suddenly, louder than Togami had ever heard her scream, especially when directed at him, She clapped her hand over her mouth and looked to the ground, cursing internally as tears brimmed at the corners of her eyes.

“W-We had an agreement.” She restated, voice now wobbly. “If you really wanted to date that woman, you could have  _ told us.  _ You didn’t need to  _ lie  _ to us and  _ cheat  _ on us in order to do that. I thought you had stopped! How many other things have you been hiding from us?!” 

Tears finally rolled down her face, and Naegi came forward and put an arm around her shoulder, avoiding looking at Togami entirely. 

“N-Nothing. I haven’t-” Togami stuttered, quickly shutting his trap as Kirigiri began speaking again. 

“ _ Get out of our house.  _ Specifically mine and Makoto’s. I don’t care if you take your fancy-ass belongings,  _ Togami,  _ go move in with that woman or whatever you want to do- I don’t care. Just  _ get out.”  _

Every word from her felt like a knife, and Togami felt it was god’s grace that kept Makoto from speaking, because one word from him and he would be done for, completely broken. 

...Although maybe not as broken as his relationship with the two of them. 

“...One of us will text you when we’re ready for you to come back, if ever.” Kirigiri buried her face in Makoto’s shoulder as she said that, his face still blank with shock. 

Togami nodded solemnly, and stepped out the front door, knowing he wasn’t going to take their car somewhere away. He didn’t deserve that privilege, and they needed it more than him anyway. 

Instead, he walked out onto the sidewalk and off into the night, tears silently rolling down his face as he deleted Monika’s contact from his phone and hoped for little, if any, redemption. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: Abuse, gaslighting, manipulation
> 
> Togami walks, but Monika is waiting for him.

Togami wasn't quite sure where he was going. 

His feet kept moving down the sidewalk, cars rushing past as he looked over his actions, regretted them, thought about what he should have done instead, and regretted them again, over and over and over and over. The guilt hung on his frame like a weighted blanket. 

It was cold, and dark, and overall Togami felt a little unsafe, but that was for no reason. He probably looked suspicious, going nowhere in particular with his hands in his pockets and looking down at the ground. 

He steeled himself not to go in the direction of Asahina's house, or Yasahiro's apartment. Toko would probably take him in, but that'd be worse considering her infatuation with him. Besides, the Future Foundation had no idea where she was, really. Makoto had said she was off somewhere with his sister... good for her. 

Why did he let himself get taken advantage of for so long?... 

_Sure she was pretty... but that shouldn't have been an excuse._

_Monika had approached him and instantly started inflating his ego. Talking about his achievements, about how amazing he was._

_"You sure are pretty incredible for reaching this position of power... how'd you do it? All these other guys probably got here by cheating someone out of something... you wouldn't right?"_

_He didn't even know what she was talking about. The Future Foundation was started by Makoto. It wasn't a company, it just... helped people. She was extremely out of place, but he let her keep talking. Why was she even there in the first place?_

_Eventually, the small talk had lead to her dragging him outside in the snow, he still wary that Makoto might come back any minute._

_And, without his consent, which was something Makoto and Kyouko had never done throughout thier many years of being in a relationship, she grabbed his vest, yanked him down (She was stronger than she looked, it was almost terrifying) and kissed him._

_As soon as he had a chance to be free of her grip, Togami had stepped back, away from her, with a shocked and betrayed look on his face._

_"Why would you do that?! First off, you're supposed to **ask** and second off, I have 2 partners! Leave me alone!" _

_Wishing that he could just go home immediately with Makoto, and see Kyouko, and maybe have a movie night, he started running away from her, heading back towards the Future Foundation office._

_She was also fast, however, and ran in front of him, blocking him off. She grabbed both of his arms and he twisted and turned, but she only gripped harder, her nails digging painfully into his skin._

_"I know. I take what I want. It doesn't matter. Screw your partners. Everyone knows you've been with them for years, aren't you **tired** of them?" _

_"No! I could never be tired of them! They'd never do stuff like **this** and they never have! What the fuck are you doing?!" _

_"Like I said, **I take what I want."**_

_She had pushed him suddenly into the snow, and put one boot onto his chest, pressing down dangerously hard._

_"If you don't do what I want... I'll have other ways to make you pay."_

_Shit._

How had he forgotten that? How could he? He never should have started talking to her in the first place. 

He drew out his phone again, panicking. 

3 months of manipulation. 3 months of threats. 3 months of abuse, and now she was going to follow through. 

Because she knew where he lived. 

_Nononononono-_

_If and when she finds out that I deleted her from my contacts, she's going to go batshit._

_**She might go after Kyouko and Makoto.** _

_S_ ure she had been pretty... pretty damn fucking dangerous. He if didn't do what she wanted, or let her, then she'd do _something..._ like the one time she installed a virus on his computer that allowed her to see his internet history. Was he really that in over his head to not realize he was being manipulated until _now?_ Even though _nothing_ was consensual, he still felt as though he was cheating because technically he was. And he was too scared to make it stop. He didn't want to tell Kyoko and Makoto earlier when he had met her because _he didn't want to date her._ And by the way his brain thought, that left him in a rut. He also didn't tell them earlier because he was afraid she might go after them. Better to know nothing and be safe. 

He swiped through his contacts. She wasn't there. He really had deleted her contact, and there was a way to get it back because he had memorized her phone number (if he didn't pick up, thinking it was spam, he had no doubt bad things would happen) and calling him was her form of communication. Where they would meet up, what exact time, etc. He didn't want to answer her, didn't want to keep this thing going. 

_God please don't let her go after them..._

He couldn't walk back to the house. That would be another betrayal on his part since Kyouko (and probably Makoto) were mad at him. If he walked back, or messaged them, and tried to explain to them how dangerous Monika was and nothing happened, it'd be seen as another excuse and they'd DEFINITELY kick him out for good. At least he thought. 

_She'd go after me first. Hopefully. And maybe I'd be able to deal with her._

So he just kept walking. And prayed that they would be safe. 

His phone rung several times as he walked out of the suburbs and into the town, and as he looked at who was calling him, his heart dropped. 

_Her._

He didn't answer it, just put the phone back in his pocket and continued on, scared. He couldn't turn it all the way off to reassure himself she wouldn't be able to track his location because he was still waiting on Makoto and Kyoko to message him, eventually. 

Even if it was a text saying that he was officially their ex-boyfriend and he wasn't allowed to ever come back, it'd still be reassuring because he knew how they wrote, and out of all the things that Monika could do, imitating someone's writing patterns was not one of them. If it was written in a Makoto or Kyouko way, great they're safe. But if it was in a Monika way... then he'd run back. As fast as he could. No buses, no taxis around, but hopefully he'd get there in time. 

His phone rang again. It was Monika's phone number, like the last time, and Togami withheld an urge to throw his phone into the street. He was probably putting his life in danger. Why _him_ of all people? Monika could have chosen anyone at that Christmas party, but no... 

He let it ring. 

He eventually came to a stop in front of a bench, and let himself rest for a bit, looking around. It was March, so the trees hadn't grown leaves yet, and streetlamps were lit eerily. 

He looked up at the night sky and thought for a second he could see Kyouko smiling in the clouds. He loved that smile. 

"Quite a lovely night, isn't it _Byakuya?"_

He recognized that voice. 

_No. No. Nononono._

Dread filled his chest as he whipped his head around to the source of the noise. There she was. Standing there. With that look on her face that meant that he was in trouble. The same face she had when he first met her. 

He got up off the bench and backed away in the same direction he had come from, hands up. 

"Leave me alone. Just... leave me alone. I'm done. You can't have control over me anymore." 

Monika laughed and walked quickly towards him as fear took over his body and he froze. 

"Awwwww, did some get kicked out of their house? You know you can't blame me. It was your idea all along. I don't have any control over you, this is all your doing!" She stood inches away and jabbed her finger into his chest. "See? You're choosing not to move away. Not to speak. You like this, don't you?" 

Togami tried his best to shake his head, _no,_ he didn't like this-

But maybe it was his fault! If he could have been just a little stronger...

His phone dinged. He took it carefully out of his pocket, holding onto it with a deathgrip as Monika sneered. 

A message. From Makoto.

_We're coming to pick you up. Ky says that you're probably in town, given the direction you were going. We can talk more once we get you back to the house._

"Oh, so you'll pick up the phone for other people, but not for me? You're fucking horrible." 

Togami flinched. "I-its a message from Makoto." 

"Give me that." Monika reached for his phone like a snake attacking and Togami held it out of her grasp, high above his head. She was only about 5'4. " _Give. Me. Your phone."_

Drawing on the hope that Kyouko and Makoto would be there soon, Togami sucked in a breath and continued to hold his phone out of harms way. If Monika got ahold of it, she could do _so much damage._

"You're more bold than usual, you little piece of shit." she growled. "I thought by now you'd know to listen to me. Guess receiving a text from your beloved _partner_ gives you that kind of arrogance, huh?" 

Togami was trapped. He didn't know what to do. His legs wouldn't move, and even so, there was nowhere to go. She was faster than him. Stronger. 

"Hope it's that he hates you. Then you can be with me. I love you so much y'know." Her tone turned suddenly sweet and loving, and Togami was almost inclined to believe that it was true. 

But how many objects thrown at him? How many insults? How many injuries he had to cover up with "I tripped" or "I walked into a pole"? 

How many?

Too much, that's for sure, and Togami was sick of it. 

"Still silent? Guess you know I'm right." She reached into her pants pocket, and Togami's survival sense kicked up 5 notches. But he couldn't do anything as she held the knife up to his chin, her dark brown eyes freezing him in place. 

"But I guess I'm going to have to say... _punish_ you for not answering my calls." 

His breathing quickened as his mind flashed back to _those_ days- of seeing Naegi nearly die, blood across a bathroom floor, screams and crying and a monochromatic bear-

The knife was centimeters away from his neck. Monika sneered, bringing it even closer-

Then a flash of pink and black barreled into Monika from the side and the knife flew into the air as Togami stepped back out of surprise, tripped and fell onto the ground. 

He quickly got back up to see _Kyouko_ restraining Monika, lying down on the ground with her hands behind her back. Monika yelled and thrashed, but Kyouko kept her safely on the pavement, muttering the dark-haired woman's Miranda rights into her ear. 

Meanwhile, Makoto drove up the street, parked the car and quickly got out, handcuffs in hand as he ran over to help Kyouko with the "arrest" of sorts. Togami simply stood there in stunned silence. 

Once the handcuffs had securely been latched onto Monika's wrists, Makoto came over to Togami and wrapped him in a hug while Kyouko watched from her place next to the incapacitated Monika. 

"Are you okay? I'm so glad you're safe, she looked like she was about to kill you- do you know her?" Makoto asked, rapid-fire. 

Togami simply nodded.

"Please don't tell me she's the woman who Kyouko kicked you out of the house for." 

Togami nodded again guilty, and he could hear Kyouko groan in exasperation 15 ft away from him. Makoto only hugged him even tighter and said, "you can explain when we get home." 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all for reading my fic! This is my first angst fic with a bad ending so I hope I did good! 
> 
> (Credit to my friend who started the conversation about Togami being likely to cheat)


End file.
